WASHINGTON - CIA Director Michael Hayden issued a memo calling on employees to ignore criticism and remained focused on counter-terrorism.

Titled "Staying on Target," the memo said the botched bombings and terror arrests that began last week in England and Scotland "serve as a reminder ... that this remains a dangerous world and that our work in defending America is as important as ever," The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

Hayden referred to various criticisms the U.S. intelligence communities have come under since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and urged employees to ignore it.

"Keep your eye on our objective," Hayden wrote. "For all of us at CIA, today's date is clear: It's always September 12th."

The incidents in Britain were a jolt for the U.S. intelligence agencies, as none of those arrested so far appeared on any U.S. list of people with suspected terrorist ties, officials told the Post.